Middlesbrough v West Ham 04/09/96 7.45Middlesbrough (2) 4 West Ham (0) 1 FT Emerson 12 Hughes 57 Mustoe 28 Ravanelli 52 Stamp 81 Two of manager Bryan Robson's summer signings, Emerson and Fabrizio Ravanelli, scored in a brilliant win before a record 30,060 crowd at the Riverside Stadium. Emerson, a £4million buy from Porto, gave Middlesbrough the lead with a superb goal after 12 minutes his first for the club with a powerful 30-yard shot. Middlesbrough maintained the pressure for Ravanelli to hit the woodwork before Robbie Mustoe scored from close-range. Middlesbrough thrilled the crowd with some skillful passing and earned a standing ovation as they walked off at half-time. Ravanelli, a record club £7million buy from Juventus, increased the lead after 52 minutes following a Juninho pass. West Ham hit back through Michael Hughes with a brilliant 30-yard shot that left Alan Miller helpless. West Ham stepped up the pressure in a bid to get back into the game but Middlesbrough soon regained control and concerned their superiority with a fourth goal in the final minute. Philip Stamp hit the target shortly after his introduction as a substitute for Juninho. There was some wonderful attacking play in a game in which neither trainer was on the field in 90 minutes. West Ham were overwhelmed at times by the sheer quality of Middlesbrough's football and Robson's star-studded side will climb the Premier League table if they can continue to display this type of football. 
Middlesbrough: (5-3-2) Miller, Cox, Whyte, Vickers, Whelan, Emerson, Barmby (Moore, 85), Mustoe, Juninho (Stamp, 85), Ravanelli, Fleming. Subs not used: Hendrie, Roberts, Branco. Booked: Mustoe, Whyte, Fleming. West Ham: (4-4-2) Miklosko, Breacker, Dicks, Bilic, Williamson, Bowen, Potts (Dowie, 55), Lazarides (Dumitrescu, 60), Raducioiu (Lampard, 86), Hughes, Futre. Subs not used: Rowland, Mautone. Booked: Bilic, Dicks, Hughes. Attendance: 30,060. Referee: P Jones (Loughborough). |
